From Distance: A Glass Full of Matter

Four point play…

1. Humans are incessantly optimistic. Even the most doom and gloom pessimist, one who is always trying to “prepare for the worst” for fear of being blindsided by any theoretical despair, is often a closeted optimist trying to steel a sensitive heart from impending disaster. Such a person thinks that by focusing on a potentially negative outcome, one can brace himself for any eventual problem. If such a person didn’t initially have a positive expectation of the future, no “preparing for the worst” would be necessary. The worst would be assumed, accepted, and simply the way of life. It’s that positive expectation that leads to disappointment. It is that positive expectation that begs mitigation.

Conversely, a chipper sort who always looks on the bright side of life, may feel a real tug of despair, thus requiring a cheerful disposition to combat that knowledge. It’s the more recognized version of optimism, but no stronger than the first. I’m not talking about the bliss of ignorance (though each of us, to some degree, lives happily in that state, whether we care to admit it or not). I’m talking about those folks who have experienced some sort of misery and recognize that there could have been no preparation that would have made it less awful. If no preparation could have helped, why not just focus on the good?

We receive awful news and our first reaction is “this is awful!” (Stunning analysis. That’s why you come to this fine site). A secondary, more lasting reaction, is usually “it won’t be that bad” or “it could be worse”. Both things are somewhat disingenuous. Yes, most of the time, it really won’t be that bad, and it could always be worse. Still, our natural desire to survive usually promotes a “buck up” attitude that gets us through the day, but prevents us from forcing radical change. We are more likely to stick things out. Our optimism can lead us out of dark times. We need it. But, it can also promote stagnation.

2. Obviously, nothing about the 2017-2018 Cleveland Cavaliers is legitimately miserable. As always, this is only entertainment. Other than the level of respect that we should maintain for the human beings involved, the NBA is a relative frivolity here for our enjoyment, as are most things.

Still, the way a person consumes sports is an indicator of how one views many things. Is one only concerned with the ultimate outcome? As fans, are we preparing for the worst or being needlessly shortsighted. Are we foolishly distorting facts through our rose colored glasses?  Does winning really absolve one of all mistakes?

All of the following is true.

a. The Cavs will make the Playoffs.

b. LeBron James is unlikely to lose a seven game Eastern Conference Playoffs series until he is clearly past his prime.

c. The Cavaliers have traded in a successful three-point-oriented team of shooters for a roster that features less accuracy from deep.

d. Cleveland has the oldest roster in the league and is unconcerned about October success.

All of the following is true to me.

a. Tyronn Lue doesn’t know who his most effective players are.

b. The roster is full of low IQ veterans who think their veteran status makes them high IQ players.

c. Regular season LeBron James is better defending the interior than the perimeter.

d. Tristan Thompson is nearly useless unless he is surrounded by capable shooters.

e. Iman Shumpert is one of the worst basketball players in the entire NBA.

The Cavs backcourt just isn’t good enough to play Tristan Thompson big minutes. It’s a shame for TT. The league is full of guys who play well in one situation and awfully in another. This roster is built to make Tristan look worse than he is.

LeBron James, Kevin Love and Jae Crowder need to play big minutes across the frontcourt for this team to have a chance. The rest of the league has gone with length. Burly guys can use their size and strength to move the lanky youngsters out of the paint.

It is early, but these signs are real. The roster isn’t balanced enough to be poorly coached. Lue has to maximize his players’ skill-sets by deft rotation management and play-calling. He is doing neither. It’s not entirely his fault. Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert, and Jeff Green have spent their entire careers short-circuiting offensive flow. Regardless, an adequate coach knows when to fold’em. If those guys can’t run the system, stop playing them.

“But Ben, Jeff Green and Rose have been playing well!”

No they haven’t. They just haven’t been as abjectly awful as they can and likely will be. They can’t shoot. Green has been this guy his whole career. He looks good playing an ineffective game. One can’t get caught up in Rose’s, Shump’s and Green’s occasional highlights. They aren’t plus players.

“It would help if J.R. Smith weren’t so awful!”

Yes. Yes it would. And perhaps he wouldn’t have started so poorly if he hadn’t been jacked around by an inept coach.

Yep, that escalated quickly. Listen, I’m not advocating for Lue’s dismissal. I don’t know that it would help anything all that much, especially if he were to be replaced by that disaster of a leader, Mark Jackson. But Lue has consistently been a subpar coach, regardless of his playoff record.

We can be both kinds of optimist: the kind that “prepares for the worst” and the kind that is aware that this is a long season and it’s fun to have LeBron James on the team. Both things are true.

Nonetheless, if the front office thinks it should just chill and wait for the playoffs to start, Cavs fans are going to have a rough season ahead. If a coaching change isn’t in the cards, they’ll need a trade. This roster isn’t going to get it done in June.

3. I would be remiss not to mention the surging Boston Celtics. After dropping the first two games of their season, the Celtics have reeled off five straight victories. It’s not so shocking that Brad Stevens’ team sits at 5-2 post Gordon Hayward injury. What is shocking is that Boston currently leads the NBA in defensive efficiency and is number six in rebounding rate. They were a solid defensive squad last year, but had trouble on the glass. Their new look roster is having no trouble maintaining their defensive integrity while cleaning up their board work. Aron Baynes and Jayson Tatum have been huge on both accounts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37vRBzkYAsw

Kyrie Irving has led a balanced Celtics attack. They are moving the ball well as a team. Kyrie has played out of flow, only taking 18 shots per contest. Defensively, Irving has had active hands averaging 2.43 steals per game. It’s early, but so far Kyrie has done a much better job of trying on defense. He’s not busting his tail or anything, but he’s playing with a level of effort that he has normally reserved for bigger games. Good for him.

4. Speaking of that awful trade, the Brooklyn Nets have thankfully dropped three in a row. They will be a bad team. Their roster isn’t deep enough to suffer any more long-term injuries to a play-maker, but the Cavs might be smart to poke potential trades whenever the Nets extend a losing streak. I don’t really like cheering for teams to lose, even if they aren’t my own. The more time passes, the more I hope they deal the pick. What a season.